Ziban Gedena massacre

The Ziban Gedena massacre was a mass extrajudicial killing that took place in Ziban Gedena (Tigrinya: ዝባን ገደና) in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia during the Tigray War, on 4 to 7 December 2020.[1] Ziban Gedena is a village that belongs to woreda Tahtay Adiyabo, northwestern zone of Tigray.

Ziban Gedena massacre
Part of Tigray War
Ziban Gedena is located in Tigray Region
Ziban Gedena
Ziban Gedena
Ziban Gedena is located in Ethiopia
Ziban Gedena
Ziban Gedena
Location of Ziban Gedena in Tigray (Ethiopia)
LocationZiban Gedena (Tigrinya: ዝባን ገደና), Tigray Region, Ethiopia
Date4 to 7 December 2020
TargetTigrayans
Attack type
Deaths150[1]-300[2] civilians
PerpetratorsEritrea Eritrean Defence Forces

Massacre

The Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) killed 150 up to 300 civilians in Ziban Gedena (NW Tigray) on 4 to 7 December 2020.[2][1]

In the town of Ziban Gedena, in northwestern Tigray, Eritrean soldiers had burned 150 houses, killed 300 civilians, looted or slaughtered 90% of oxen and livestock, burnt and stolen harvests and set fire to animal fodder. Continuing harassment from Eritrean forces meant that no one was plowing the land for the next crop, farmers told aid workers.
— Anonymous UN official, notes from a UN briefing after a June 6 visit, Reuters, 11 June 2021[2]

Perpetrators

A UN report indicates that the perpetrators of this massacre were Eritrean soldiers.[2]

Victims

The “Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation” mentions approximately 150 victims of this massacre,[1] whereas a UN report mentions 300 civilian victims.[2] Four victims have been identified.[3]

Reactions

The “Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation”,[1] that documented this massacre received international media attention, particularly regarding its Annex A, that lists massacres in the Tigray War.[4][5][6][7]

After months of denial by the Ethiopian authorities that massacres occurred in Tigray, a joint investigation by OHCHR and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was announced in March 2021.[8]

While the Ethiopian government promised that Eritrean troops will be pulled out from Tigray, the Eritrean government denies any participation in warfare in Tigray, let alone in massacres.[9]

For this specific massacre, Eritrean and Ethiopian officials did not respond to questions. Billene Seyoum, spox of the Ethiopian prime minister Abiy Ahmed denied that farmers were prevented from ploughing.[2]

See also

References
  1. Annys, S., Vanden Bempt, T., Negash, E., De Sloover, L., Nyssen, J., 2021. Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation Archived 2021-09-13 at the Wayback Machine
  2. UN briefing, as reported by Reuters, 15 June 2021: UN official accuses Eritrean forces of deliberately starving Tigray Archived 2021-08-23 at the Wayback Machine
  3. TGHAT, A compilation of the verified list of civilian victims from different sources Archived 2021-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
  4. The World radio (2 April 2021): Counting the victims in Tigray
  5. EuroNews, 2 April 2021 – See film embedded in the news item: G7 'seriously concerned' about human rights violations in Ethiopia's Tigray region Archived 2021-04-10 at the Wayback Machine
  6. CBC, 2 April 2021: As It Happens: The Friday Edition (from 28:00 to 35:30) Tigray, Ethiopia Massacre Archived 2021-07-16 at the Wayback Machine
  7. The Guardian, 2 April 2021: Ethiopia: 1,900 people killed in massacres in Tigray identified Archived 2021-08-14 at the Wayback Machine
  8. France24, 18 March 2021: UN rights chief agrees to joint Tigray probe Archived 2021-04-22 at the Wayback Machine
  9. DW, 19 March 2021: Fact check: Are other nations involved in the war in Tigray? Archived 2021-09-13 at the Wayback Machine

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